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Sumit SinghalSumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination.

Ranger cabin in Blágil by ARKÍS arkitektar

Ranger cabins in Vatnajökull National Park both serve as the ranger’s workplace and home, during the period of duty. The cabins are designed in three different sizes as they have the capacity to be inhabited by 1 – 4 employees. Each cabin has its own workshop. In the Vatnajökull National Park (VNP) there will be a total of 10 cabins. The cabins will be placed in the diverse landscape of VNP. The main objectives of the design was to get simple and robust buildings, that would endure the harsh and ever changing weather conditions.

Another objective was that the choice of materials and the form of the cabin would be as neutral in the environment as possible, so that the cabin does not affect the variety in the magnificent landscape. As such it refers to the Icelandic tradition of architecture and construction.

Image Courtesy ARKÍS Arkitektar

The Blágil Ranger cabin is in the western part of the VNP, close to the volcano LAKI in a moss-covered lava-landscape. The exterior walls of the cabins are clad with weathering steel and crates filled with lava-stones from the surroundings.

Image Courtesy ARKÍS Arkitektar

The surroundings

Each cabin is in harmony with the surroundings in to the choice of materials. The cabin’s patio is of larch. Inside the cabin the walls are clad with oil-covered birch plywood, and the floor is layed with larch-panels. Each cabin is 25m2, and the size of the workshop is 12m2 When the cabin is not in use (eq. during winter-time), shutters are placed for the windows to protect against winter storms.